Carton



G. F. GALLERY AND R. W. L OTZ.

CARTON.

nrucmou FILED Jun/29. 191a.

Patented Maylfi, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. GALLERY, OF OAK PARK, AND RUDOLPH WM. IIOTZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CARTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1922.

Application filed July 29, 1918. Serial No. 247,109.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Gnonsn F. GALLERY, of Oak Park, Cook County, Illinois, and RUDOLPH WM. Lora, of Cl'iicago, Cook County, Illinois, both citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cartons; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has for its object to pro vide an improved paper carton particularly adapted for closure by machines after having been filled with the merchandise to be shipped therein.

Paper cartons are used very extensively in place of wooden boxes for the shipment particularly of relatively light merchandise, such as packages of cereal products and the like, for which purpose they are sufliciently strong besides being lighter and very much cheaper than the Wooden receptacles heretofore used.

The cartons are usually received by the shipper in a collapsed. form, the top and bottom walls being open, The bottom wall is closed and the overlapping bottom. flaps stitched or otherwise firmly secured together rior to filling the carton with merchandise. he top is then closed and,heretofore, has been generally maintained closed by the application of adhesive tape along the meetmg or overlapping edges of the several. flaps.

More recently a machine has been built which effects closure of the top of the carton when filled with merchandise by means of stitching by the use of the wire staples commonly used in the art of book-binding, the stitching head of the machine being sub-- stantially identical with that used for stitching in the book-binding art.

The object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a carton which is pan ticularly adapted for stitching by machine to effect closure thereof after being filled, and which further provides all the advantages inherent to the ordinary carton at present in use. p

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a suitable embodiment of the invention:

Figure -1- is a perspective view of an open carton constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the same ready to be closed.

Figure 2- is a perspective view ofthe carton when closed, a part thereof being broken away to expose another part to view.

Figure -3-- is fragmentary detail top plan view of a carton.

Figure -4- is a fragmentary detail section of the same on the line 4+4 of Fig'- ure -2-.

In stitching the overlapped parts of the covers of cartons together after the cartons have been filled, it is obviously necessary to insert underneath the overlapped portions of such cover an anvil member which will cooperate with the stitching head to effect clinching of staples driven through the overlapped parts. The covers usually consist of two end-flaps and two side flaps, and ordinarily, in eifecting closure, the two endilaps are first bent down to rest upon the contentsof the canton and then the two side flaps are successively bent down upon the end-flaps so as to overlap the same and overlap each other. Closure is preferably effected by securing the overlapping edge portions of the side flaps together as this produces the neatest and most satisfactory packfrom every point of view.

However, in the art of machine stitching to effect closure of the filled cartons it has been found necessary to vary the usual order in which the flaps are bent down by first folding down one end flap, then one side flap, then the other end flap, and finally the other side flap. The several parts thus overlapped are successivelystitched together and the resulting carton while satisfactory from the standpoint of effective closure, presents an undesirable appearance by reason of the peculiar succession of operations resulting in an unusual. relative positioning of the several flaps.

One object of our invention is to provide a carton which may be closed in the ordinary manner, but which is at the same time thoroughly well adapted for machine stitching.

To this end the carton 1 is provided with side flaps each consistingoftwo parts 2 and 3 respectively, they being separated from each other by cutting a slit 4 longitudinally portions 2 and flap 7 6 parallel with the line of the slit 4t, but oilset laterally therefrom. The slits ot the opposite end flaps are respectively right and .left so that the portions-3 thereof are opposed to each other. The side flaps 7 and 8 are of ordinary construction and areadapted to overlap eachother-midway between the sidewalls oi the carton. The width of the free edge port-ion of the flap members 3 is preferably equal to the depth of the side flap 8.

In closing the carton the portions 2 of. the end flaps are first bent down, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure l, and the side flap 7 is then folded over upon the same. ll desired these parts may now be stitched together by inserting a relatively thin flat anvil member to project underneath the fiap and driving staples through the several thicknesses of material thus presented. Generally, however, his is not necessary or desirable, and in the construction of the carton in accordance with my inventionit is less necessary than in other-instances for reasons which will hereinafter appear. 4

After the flap portions 2 and side flap 7 have been bent down, as above described, the portions .3 vof the end flaps are bent down and, as will be obvious, the portions bordered by the straight edges 6 and curved. edges 5 will overlap the free edge portion o'l. the flap 7. The flap 8 is then bent down to cover and rest upon the portions 3 of the end flaps whereupon the carton is ready for the stitching operation.

In effecting the stitching a relatively thin flat anvil member 9, suchas is shown in Figure t. is inserted underneath the free edge portion of the side flap 7 and passes over the portions 2 of the end flaps one side edge of the anvil memberwill contact with the side edge 4 of each of the portions 3 of the end flaps contiguous to the juncture of the latter with theend walls of the carton: Thus this anvil member will lie beneath the projecting portions 56 of the portions of the end flaps and also underneath the [overlapping portions of the side flap 8. A

row of staples 10 is now driven through the free edge portion of the said flap 8 from. end to end of the latter. These staples pass through the flaps 7 and 8 at those points where the projecting portions 56 of the flap members 3 do not project through the line of stitching, and where such portions .5 6 project into the stitch-line the staples will be passed through thethree thicknesses of material, thereby securing the flaps 7 and 8 and the end flap portions 3 firmly iogether. This prevents the end walls of the carton from bulging outwardly under the influence oi strains imposed ihcroon by the load contained in the carton. 'lhe rinsed carton is of usual. appearance while being thoroughly reinforced by the stapling to re sist strains and stresses agail'ist all parts or walls of the same.

It will be observed that the incision l does not provide a perceptible opening. nor our which might prcsrnt a lealc for the admin sion of water in the (ventthe carton is cvposed to rain, and it will further be obviousv that after closure of the carton has been el tected. it will not be possible to distort or bulge the cover sullicicntly to enable any part of the contents oi the carton to be re moved. by the insertion oi a hand into the same.

l vhile we have illustrated and de cribed the preferred embodiment oi" the invention in the accompanyin drawings it will be obvions, of course, that the same is rapab e oi some modification without departing from the invention as defined in the appcni'lcd claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A carton having side and end walls rospeotively and closure flaps hinged to said respective walls. the end liaps being bil'urcated to divide the same, the line or" bi'l'uri-ation extending from a point substantially midway between the side edges of said end flaps at their junctions with the end walls in the free ends of said flaps the outer end portions of the slots bifurcating said laps being laterally ollset from the inner end portions thereof, whereby one part of: each lap is of greater width at its :trec end than the other part, the latter being adapted to be overlapped by one 0.1": the side flaps and the latter to be partially overlapped by tho. larger portions of the end. flaps. the other side flap adapted to completely overlap the last-named portions of the mid-flaps, and the latter and said side flaps adapted to be secured together by a line of stitching ex tending parallel. with and contiguous to the free end of the last-named side flap there being a free way provided between the narrow ended end flaps and the remaining flaps for the insertion of a suitable anvil strip.

2. A carton having four closure flaps including end-flaps each comprising two parts one of which is of greater width at its free end than at its base and the other of which is of less width at its free end than at its base and side flaps adapted to overlap each other, one 01- the latter adapted to be partially overlapped by the wider portions of the end-flaps and said lastnamed portions of said end-flaps completely overlapped by the other side-fiap, whereby fastening means passed through overlapping end portions of the side flaps will. pass through portions of the end, flaps and said. flaps when closed presenting a free passa e for an anvil member for assisting in me clinching of the fastening means.

3, carton havin four closure flaps in.- cluding end-flaps eac 1 comprising two parts one of which is of greater width at its free end than at its base and the other of which is of less width at its free end than at its base, the first-named part of each flap being wider at its free end than the base of the other part and side flaps adapted to overlap each other, one of the latter adapted to be partially overlapped by the wider portions of the end-flaps and said last-named portions of said end-flaps completely overlapped by the other side-flap, whereby fastening means passed through overlapping end portions of the side flaps will pass through portions of the end flaps and said flaps when closed presenting a free passage for an anvil member for assisting in the clinching of the fastening means.

l. A carton havin four closure flaps including end-flaps eacli comprising two parts of equal width at their bases and of respectively different widths at their free ends and side flaps adapted to overlap each other, one of the latter adapted to be partially overlapped by the wider portions of the endfiaps and said last-named portions of said end-flaps completely overlapped by the other side-flap, whereby fastening means passed through overlapping end portions of the side flaps will pass through portions of the end flaps and said flaps when closed pre senting a free passage for an anvil member for assisting in the clinching of the fasten-- ing means.

5. A carton having closure flaps including opposed equal side flaps adapted to overlap each other at their free ends, and opposed equal end-flaps, the latter each comprising two parts of equal width at their bases and of respectively different widths at their free ends, the last-named parts substantially equal in width at their free ends to the depth of one of the side flaps and presenting when closed a longitudinal zone for stitching the flaps together and a free way beneath the zone for the insertion of a suitable anvil member.

6. A carton having closure flaps comprising op osed side flaps adapted to overlap each ot 1er at their free edge portions and end flaps each comprising two parts adapted to be overlapped by the side flaps, one part of each end flap adapted to overlap the free edge portion of one of said side flaps and be completely overlapped by the other of said side flaps and providing when closed a free passa e beneath the overlapped side flaps and t e intermediate end flaps for the insertion of a suitable anvil member for assistance in stitching the overlapped flaps together by wire staples.

' GEORGE F. GALLERY.

RUDOLPH WM. LOTZ. 

